Key case



KEY CASE Filed Aug. 9, 1926 f/Yfy 25 is located Patented LSept. 20, 1927.

y E ST j JOSEPH F. SKOREPA, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

KEY CASE.

Application led August 9, 1926. Serial No. `128,049.

My invention relates to that class of key holders comprising a case adapted to inclose a key or keys that are permanently attached to the case and from which it or they may be readily projected for use, and an object ot' my invention among others, is the production of a case of this type that shall be compact and that shall have means for readily placing al key in position for use and for readily inclosing said key within the case.

One form of key case embodying my invention and in the construction and use 0f which the objects herein set out, as Well as others, may be attained, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a face view ot the case.

Figure 2 is an edge view.

Figure 3 is a face View with the cover plate removed and showing the key locked within the case and showing in dotted lines a key in position for use.

Figure et is a similar view but showing the key released and being forced from the case.

Figure 5 is a view in section, scale enlarged. on a plane denoted by the dotted line 5-5 of Figure 1.

In the accompanying drawings the numeral 6 indicates the shell of my improved case that comprises a back 7 and a flange 8 extending along the back edge and around one end.

A spider is secured within the case, this spider comprising arms 9-10-11, the arms 9-10 together with the flange 8 providing a, locking bolt chamber 12 and the arms 10e-11 providing a pocket 13 open at its front edge. A key 14 is pivotally mounted on a pivot 15, the latter, together with a stud 16, cooperating to hold the cover plate 17 in place, said pivot and stud being headed for this purpose. The key is provided with locking notches 18-19.

A locking bolt is slidably mounted in the `chamber 12. said bolt having guides 20-21 in sliding contact with the flange 8 and a guide 22 extending into a recess 23 in the arm 10. This bolt has also a locking finger 24@ adapted to be engaged within the notches 18-`19 for holding the key in opened and closed positions. A locking bolt spring with its opposite ends in recesses in the arm 9 and the guide 21 as shown in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings. A slide operating stud 26 is secured to the locking bolt and projects through a slot 27 in the cover plate, the outer end of this stud being preferably milled or otherwise roughened for operation by the thumb ot' the lli-Jer. Engagement of the finger 24 with the notch 18 locks the key in its closed position, and engagement of said finger with the notch 19 locks the key in its open position.

In order to initially remove the key 'from the pocket 13 a projection 28 is formed on the key adjacent to the notch 19, and when the locking bolt is moved backwardly a hump on the. locking finger 24 engages said projection and forces the key from the pocket 13, this movement` of the key being shown as partially effected in Figure 4.

The description thus far is to a single structure that comprises one side of the case, the device'hercin illustrated however comprising two of such structures, duplicates each of the other` and located on opposite sides of the back, the hack 7 in tact, being a partition between the two chambers 12. but which back would comprise the side of the case opposite the cover plate in a structure having provision for a single key only. The pivot 15 and stud 16 pass through both chambers and serve as pivots for two keys and as 'fastenings for two cover plates.

In accordance with the. provisions of the patent statutes I have described the principles ot operation of my invention, together with the device which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the device shown is only illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set out.

I claim- 1. A key case having a chamber therein, an arm extending lengthwise of the case and dividing said chamber into a compartment and a recess. a key pivotally mounted in said case within said pocket, a locking bolt located in the compartment opposite said pocket and having guides in contact with a wall of the chamher and with said arm, and a finger on said 'bolt adapted to engage notches in said key and said key being constructed for cooperation with said bolt to cause forceful projection of said key upon retraction of the bolt.

2. A key case having a chamber therein, an arm extending lengthwise of the case and dividing said chamber into a. compartment and a pocket, said arm having a recess on g miami one side, a key pivotally mounted in said case Wit-hin said pocket and having locking notches, a locking bolt slidably mounted in the compartment opposite said pocket and having a guide projecting into said recess, a .finger on said bolt adapt-ed to engage said notches, means for operating the bolt and means carried by thc key to be engaged by the bolt when the key is Within the casey t0 forcibly eject the key upon retraction of the bolt.

3. A key case having a chamber therein, a spider located in said chamber and having branching arms, one of said arms dividing the into two compartment-s and another ot' said arms iorn'iing the end of a pocket, a locking bolt slidably mounted in one of said compartments, a spring engaged With the locking bolt and one of said arms, a

freely mounted key having notches to be ensaid sliding bolt to engage said nrojection to 30 force said key out of the case when the bolt is retracted from the. key While in closed position.

JSEPH F. SKGREPA. 

